“The primary resource of the country is its people, so people there believe in education,” Razan Brown, a former resident of Jordan, told The Borgen Project in an interview. As a small Arab nation without many natural resources, Jordan relies on its people and their skills to develop economically. Because of this, education in Jordan has remained at the forefront of poverty reduction.
As of 2025, more than 97% of children are enrolled in primary school, and the country’s literacy rate is around 95%. However, Jordan still struggles with funding for education, especially with a recent increase in refugees from Syria and Palestine. Jordan hosts around 200,000 Syrian refugee children alone, which has placed greater pressure on the system due to a lack of teachers and access to school buildings and supplies. Despite this, Jordan still ranks high in enrollment and literacy in its region.
A Glimpse at the System
In Jordan, primary school is funded by the Ministry of Education and is compulsory for children aged 6 to 16. Here, students learn basic mathematics, science, world history and Arabic, among other subjects. After around the third grade, schools are separated by gender, although boys and girls have had equal access to education since 1979. In the final year of high school, students take the Tawjihi exam, a comprehensive college placement exam that determines a student’s field of study and eventual career. Regarding the Tawjihi exam, Brown stated, “A lot rests on that grade. You get to pick what you want to study, however, the schools accept you based on what you score. For example, if you want to be in medical school, you have to score in the 96th percentile and above.” Beyond primary school, public universities are not free but remain affordable.
Additionally, there is a private sector of education in Jordan. Private school prices vary depending on the institution but can create inequalities in access and quality. At private schools, students learn more English and participate in more extracurricular activities. There are some scholarships from the royal palace, known as a “Royal Generosity” for students with high marks who cannot afford private school, but entry into a private institution mostly depends on family wealth.
Importance
Due to a lack of natural resources, Jordan relies heavily on its education system. Its people are the assets necessary for the sustainability of the country’s economy and also provide valuable labor abroad. Additionally, Jordanians rely on the country’s education system to improve their own lives, especially with regard to job opportunities. This necessity has instilled Jordanians with pride for their educational achievements. Regarding this, Brown said, “Families are proud of their children when they achieve what they do at school. It’s celebrated and seen. Perseverance is celebrated versus like ‘do it your way.'”
Jordan’s commitment to high-quality education has led to a demand for Jordanian people in skilled positions throughout the Arab world and beyond. In countries like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, which have large oil reserves and industry but lack the necessary population, labor is sourced from places like Jordan. Because of this, the skills acquired through education are the basis for poverty reduction, especially for rural populations seeking job prospects. However, an essential skill for these positions is the ability to speak English, which is nearly guaranteed from a private institution but not from a public one. Because of this, wealth disparities within the population can be perpetuated through disparities in education. Parents may work a second job or pick up extra shifts if it means their children can attend a private school and learn English.
Overcoming Barriers
Despite many successes, Jordan still faces barriers in providing its population with quality education. Underfunding has limited the amount of extracurricular activities available at public schools and has impacted the quality of available teachers. Because teaching is not a well-paying job in Jordan, it attracts students who did not score as well on their Tawjihi. As a result, many teachers were forced into the trade by necessity, rather than by a desire to teach. Private schools can also pay good teachers more, which leads to a smaller pool for public institutions. Lack of funds also affects the quality of school buildings and other areas such as parks that would provide the space for extracurriculars.
A recent influx of refugees has further strained the system. To combat overcrowding, schools in Jordan operate on a two-shift system, meaning one wave of students attend in the mornings and another in the afternoons. This has led to increased issues in staffing. Additionally, it has made it difficult for students, particularly those in rural areas, to travel to school, as it would often be too cold or dark at the times when they arrived or left.
UNRWA
However, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has continued to assist in Jordan’s efforts for educational improvements. As of the 2019 to 2020 school year, UNRWA operated 169 schools that provided basic education for more than 121,000 students. UNRWA has also helped teachers through the implementation of its Teacher Policy and School Based Teacher Development program, which strengthened teachers’ professional development and had reached around 3,900 teachers in 2018. Furthermore, UNRWA offers vocational training at the Amman Training Center and the Wadi Seer Training Center, with emphasis placed on local and regional labor market needs.
Additionally, in terms of morale and motivation, Brown believes the addition of refugee children in Jordanian classrooms has been a positive. In Palestine, UNRWA has been responsible for building some of the best schools in the region since 1948, and the students coming from these schools raise the standard of their classrooms. Referring to refugee children from Gaza, Brown stated, “Those children have nothing but their school. That’s where they see their friends, that’s often times when they eat their meals. The pride in education in a place like Gaza is unprecedented. So once you meet those kids, you want your own child in that classroom because they are meeting an A student.”
Looking Ahead
Since more than 40% of the population is under 18, the continued advancement of education in Jordan is essential to the continued development of the nation. While the current system has yielded good results, there is still room for improvement, especially for children living in poverty or in rural areas. Through increased funding, schools could become less crowded and offer more resources to their students, as well as a better overall education. This would both enhance the system and bridge divides in access and quality based on socioeconomic conditions.
– Josh Megson
Josh is based in Albemarle, NC, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Human Trafficking in Indonesia
Unfortunately, human trafficking of children and other vulnerable people is not uncommon in the Southeast Asian nation. In 2025, the Directorate of Crimes of Trafficking in Women and Children – Crimes of Trafficking in Persons (TPPA-TPPO) recorded 353 cases affecting 1,114 victims. Forms of trafficking often involve labor scams, sexual abuse or child exploitation. Methods such as online employment scams are also on the rise, targeting those most desperate and struggling economically. More than one-third of Indonesians are economically insecure, meaning economic shocks can push them into poverty, leaving them particularly vulnerable to exploitation.
To address this issue, the government has implemented structural improvements to the handling of human trafficking in Indonesia. This comes in the form of specialized police units to tackle trafficking crimes, as well as improved legal protection and support systems for victims.
PPA-PPO Directorate
In January, the Indonesian National Police established the Directorate of Crimes Against Women and Children and Human Trafficking (PPA-PPO). The specialized unit fights human trafficking in Indonesia by investigating cases of exploitation of vulnerable people by trafficking circles operating internationally. The directorate is victim-focused and strives for women-led teams with a minimum quota of 30% female officers, in the interest of both gender equality and better support for female victims.
Having initially launched across 22 regional police stations, the directorate is already set to expand operations, as proposals began in July to bring PPA-PPO to additional stations. Much has been achieved within the first few months since its formation: the regional team in North Sulawesi intercepted two trafficking networks, preventing the smuggling of victims into Cambodia and West Papua.
Restitution for Victims: TPPO
Work also continues to improve access to justice for victims. The Witness and Victim Protection Agency received 2,373 requests for protection from victims of human trafficking in Indonesia between 2020 and 2024. Many seek financial restitution: in 2024, hundreds of restitution applications were approved, worth a total of nearly 7.5 billion IDR. However, according to research by ASEAN-Australia Counter Trafficking (ASEAN-ACT), the allocation of restitution by Indonesian courts remains limited. In 2023, only 13% of total losses were paid out to 3,300 recorded victims.
In response to this problem, the Supreme Court issued a Pocket Book on Restitution in Human Trafficking (TPPO) in April. Developed in partnership with ASEAN-ACT, the guidelines aim to ensure fair compensation for victims by clarifying calculation and assignment processes. This will help address barriers including limited understanding of cases and difficulties in calculating appropriate restitution.
Other Organizations’ Work Remains Vital
Collaboration between other groups and the government against human trafficking in Indonesia has been and will continue to be significant. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) Indonesia has supported government action on the issue for more than 30 years, promoting a “3P approach: prevention, protection and prosecution.”
IOM Indonesia drives public campaigns to provide information on human trafficking to vulnerable groups, presented across a variety of accessible media formats. It also works with more than 80 partners to provide assistance for returning victims and support their reintegration, reaching more than 9,000 victims. The organization also supports government efforts to improve related law and enforcement, reviewing Indonesia’s Law 21 regarding human trafficking and continuing to develop and revise guidelines and training.
Looking Forward
Although it remains early days following the implementation of PPA-PPO and the new restitution guidance, these changes mark a positive step by the Indonesian government toward tackling human trafficking and strengthening support for victims. Early investigations by the directorate and clearer restitution guidelines offer a hopeful way forward.
– Hannah Rix
Photo: Pexels
UN Funding is Helping Farmers Fight Food Insecurity in Lebanon
War in Lebanon has subjected Lebanese land to munitions and other warfare tools that damage the land and its agricultural capacity. In total, approximately 56,264 hectares of agricultural land in Lebanon have been impacted, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture. This includes the destruction of 1,617 farms, 793 greenhouses, 26 packing centers, 38 produce collection centers, six carob presses, 57 olive presses, 85 food animal product processing facilities, 67 plant product processing facilities and 22 plastic shelters for fishermen.
Poverty in Lebanon
This agricultural devastation subjects more Lebanese people, especially farmers, to the consequences of poverty. People rely on the land for food, financial support, and their livelihoods, making its destruction a massive contribution to increasing global poverty. Lebanon faced high poverty rates before the conflict, but according to the World Bank, poverty has more than tripled over the past decade, and 44% of Lebanon’s population now lives in poverty.
Further, according to the World Bank’s “Lebanon Poverty and Equity Assessment 2024 – Weathering a Protracted Crisis,” 73% of Lebanese live in multidimensional poverty, and the growing food crises and insecurity from the war have only heightened this. Many households, when surveyed, admitted to adopting financial coping strategies such as cutting back on food expenses or reducing health expenditures, both of which are likely to have long-term bodily consequences. The persistence of militarism in and around Lebanon will only continue to worsen food insecurity and endanger the livelihoods of farmers like Haydar. However, efforts by certain aid organizations to protect and develop farmland offer a means to reduce the impacts of war.
The United Nations Emergency Assistance
Lebanon’s Ministry of Agriculture, the World Food Programme and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization have helped launch a program to assist with heightened food insecurity in Lebanon and reduce poverty. The program focuses on helping the 1.24 million Lebanese who face acute food insecurity by helping farmers recover from the effects of war. In its initial phase, the program aims to support 2,000 conflict-affected households through cash-based assistance, protecting both the farmers made vulnerable by war and those who rely on their produce for sustenance. The program will also work in cooperation with Lebanon’s governing systems, such as the National Farmers’ Registry and the Food and Agriculture Organization, to help reach farmers in need quickly, help rejuvenate the land and develop more effective agricultural techniques.
Looking to the Future
By placing agricultural resilience at the center of Lebanon’s national recovery, the program serves not only as an emergency response, but also as a strategic investment in long-term food security, rural economies and against future crises. It widens Lebanon’s shock-responsive net to help farmers and every person who needs food to survive, making the program both inclusive and future-oriented. In a nation where 44% of the population lives in poverty and suffers the consequences of war, this European Union-funded program offers hope and the potential to prevent food insecurity in Lebanon because helping farmers can help feed everyone.
– Aubrey Wallen
Photo: Pexels
Education in Jordan
As of 2025, more than 97% of children are enrolled in primary school, and the country’s literacy rate is around 95%. However, Jordan still struggles with funding for education, especially with a recent increase in refugees from Syria and Palestine. Jordan hosts around 200,000 Syrian refugee children alone, which has placed greater pressure on the system due to a lack of teachers and access to school buildings and supplies. Despite this, Jordan still ranks high in enrollment and literacy in its region.
A Glimpse at the System
In Jordan, primary school is funded by the Ministry of Education and is compulsory for children aged 6 to 16. Here, students learn basic mathematics, science, world history and Arabic, among other subjects. After around the third grade, schools are separated by gender, although boys and girls have had equal access to education since 1979. In the final year of high school, students take the Tawjihi exam, a comprehensive college placement exam that determines a student’s field of study and eventual career. Regarding the Tawjihi exam, Brown stated, “A lot rests on that grade. You get to pick what you want to study, however, the schools accept you based on what you score. For example, if you want to be in medical school, you have to score in the 96th percentile and above.” Beyond primary school, public universities are not free but remain affordable.
Additionally, there is a private sector of education in Jordan. Private school prices vary depending on the institution but can create inequalities in access and quality. At private schools, students learn more English and participate in more extracurricular activities. There are some scholarships from the royal palace, known as a “Royal Generosity” for students with high marks who cannot afford private school, but entry into a private institution mostly depends on family wealth.
Importance
Due to a lack of natural resources, Jordan relies heavily on its education system. Its people are the assets necessary for the sustainability of the country’s economy and also provide valuable labor abroad. Additionally, Jordanians rely on the country’s education system to improve their own lives, especially with regard to job opportunities. This necessity has instilled Jordanians with pride for their educational achievements. Regarding this, Brown said, “Families are proud of their children when they achieve what they do at school. It’s celebrated and seen. Perseverance is celebrated versus like ‘do it your way.'”
Jordan’s commitment to high-quality education has led to a demand for Jordanian people in skilled positions throughout the Arab world and beyond. In countries like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, which have large oil reserves and industry but lack the necessary population, labor is sourced from places like Jordan. Because of this, the skills acquired through education are the basis for poverty reduction, especially for rural populations seeking job prospects. However, an essential skill for these positions is the ability to speak English, which is nearly guaranteed from a private institution but not from a public one. Because of this, wealth disparities within the population can be perpetuated through disparities in education. Parents may work a second job or pick up extra shifts if it means their children can attend a private school and learn English.
Overcoming Barriers
Despite many successes, Jordan still faces barriers in providing its population with quality education. Underfunding has limited the amount of extracurricular activities available at public schools and has impacted the quality of available teachers. Because teaching is not a well-paying job in Jordan, it attracts students who did not score as well on their Tawjihi. As a result, many teachers were forced into the trade by necessity, rather than by a desire to teach. Private schools can also pay good teachers more, which leads to a smaller pool for public institutions. Lack of funds also affects the quality of school buildings and other areas such as parks that would provide the space for extracurriculars.
A recent influx of refugees has further strained the system. To combat overcrowding, schools in Jordan operate on a two-shift system, meaning one wave of students attend in the mornings and another in the afternoons. This has led to increased issues in staffing. Additionally, it has made it difficult for students, particularly those in rural areas, to travel to school, as it would often be too cold or dark at the times when they arrived or left.
UNRWA
However, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has continued to assist in Jordan’s efforts for educational improvements. As of the 2019 to 2020 school year, UNRWA operated 169 schools that provided basic education for more than 121,000 students. UNRWA has also helped teachers through the implementation of its Teacher Policy and School Based Teacher Development program, which strengthened teachers’ professional development and had reached around 3,900 teachers in 2018. Furthermore, UNRWA offers vocational training at the Amman Training Center and the Wadi Seer Training Center, with emphasis placed on local and regional labor market needs.
Additionally, in terms of morale and motivation, Brown believes the addition of refugee children in Jordanian classrooms has been a positive. In Palestine, UNRWA has been responsible for building some of the best schools in the region since 1948, and the students coming from these schools raise the standard of their classrooms. Referring to refugee children from Gaza, Brown stated, “Those children have nothing but their school. That’s where they see their friends, that’s often times when they eat their meals. The pride in education in a place like Gaza is unprecedented. So once you meet those kids, you want your own child in that classroom because they are meeting an A student.”
Looking Ahead
Since more than 40% of the population is under 18, the continued advancement of education in Jordan is essential to the continued development of the nation. While the current system has yielded good results, there is still room for improvement, especially for children living in poverty or in rural areas. Through increased funding, schools could become less crowded and offer more resources to their students, as well as a better overall education. This would both enhance the system and bridge divides in access and quality based on socioeconomic conditions.
– Josh Megson
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The Montagnards and Ethnic Minority Poverty in Vietnam
This disparity is particularly significant in the Central Highlands, home to many of Vietnam’s Indigenous communities, including the Jarai, Ede, Bahnar and Mnong. The World Bank has identified ethnic minorities as part of the country’s “last mile” in poverty reduction, with the Central Highlands remaining one of Vietnam’s poorest regions. Poverty in the region stood at around 20% in 2018, compared with a national rate of about 7% under the same poverty measurement.
Who are the Montagnards
The biggest obstacle to sustained poverty reduction among the Montagnards is geographic isolation. The Central Highlands is one of Vietnam’s more remote regions, where villages can be separated from major towns and economic centers by mountainous terrain. The World Bank has found that poverty is increasingly concentrated among ethnic minority households living in rural and remote areas. Limited roads and poor transport links make it harder for farmers to reach markets, access services and pursue employment outside of agriculture. As a result, many Montagnard households remain dependent on small-scale farming. They have fewer opportunities to diversify their incomes.
Land also plays a significant role. Many Montagnard families rely on agriculture for their livelihoods, yet population growth, environmental pressures and changes in land use have reduced access to productive farmland in parts of the Central Highlands. With limited assets and few alternative sources of income, households can be particularly vulnerable to poor harvests, fluctuating crop prices and climate-related shocks.
Development Projects That Are Making a Difference
With these challenges remaining, economic growth alone is unlikely to eliminate ethnic minority poverty in Vietnam. The Vietnamese government and the World Bank launched the Central Highlands Poverty Reduction Project in 2014 to address some of the structural challenges facing poor communities across the region.
Backed by World Bank financing and government resources, the project operated across 26 districts and 130 of the country’s poorest communes in six provinces. It invested in rural roads, bridges, clean water infrastructure and basic public services while supporting livelihood activities designed to increase household incomes and strengthen food security. The project’s reach was substantial. By its completion in 2019, it had benefited 638,536 people and 141,897 households.
The project also established 4,383 Livelihood Enhancement Groups, which benefited approximately 63,531 households. These groups provided support for agricultural production, livestock, nutrition and income diversification. The results show the potential of combining infrastructure investment with livelihood support. The project’s impact evaluation found that household income from primary wage employment increased by 18.2%, while total household wage income increased by 7.7%. The evaluation attributed part of this change to workers, particularly men, moving from agricultural work into wage employment.
The project also produced improvements in food security. Among poor households, dietary diversity increased by 6.5% relative to the comparison group. Poor households also experienced increased access to markets, while residents reported greater accessibility to commune and district centers.
Infrastructure Development
Infrastructure improvements provided another practical benefit. The project constructed 666 kilometers of rural roads, 30 bridges and 150 water systems. These investments helped connect remote communities to schools, markets and services.
However, the results also demonstrate why poverty reduction requires sustained and targeted investment. The World Bank’s impact evaluation found mixed effects across some of the project’s broader development indicators. While certain livelihood and access outcomes improved, there was no statistically significant project-wide impact on several measures, including productive assets and some infrastructure and service indicators.
Beyond the World Bank, organizations such as the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have also supported efforts to create sustainable livelihoods in rural Vietnam. Since 1993, IFAD has invested $334.5 million in 14 agricultural development projects and programs in Vietnam, benefiting 669,070 rural households. Its work has focused on helping rural communities improve agricultural productivity, access markets and strengthen resilience.
IFAD’s figures cover rural households across Vietnam rather than Montagnard communities specifically. However, because ethnic minorities are disproportionately represented among Vietnam’s poorest rural populations, rural development initiatives can play an important role in addressing the structural factors contributing to poverty in communities such as those in the Central Highlands.
What Remains?
Vietnam’s economic transformation demonstrates that sustained investment and targeted policies can dramatically reduce poverty. The remaining challenge is ensuring that Indigenous communities such as the Montagnards can participate in and benefit from this progress.
The disparity between ethnic minorities and the Kinh majority shows why national economic growth alone cannot close the poverty gap in Vietnam. In 2020, ethnic minorities still experienced a poverty rate of 27%, despite representing only a small share of the country’s population.
Continued investment in education, health care, infrastructure and sustainable livelihoods could help address the barriers that keep many Indigenous communities economically vulnerable. Community-led planning and culturally appropriate support can also help ensure that development programs reflect local needs.
Projects such as the Central Highlands Poverty Reduction Project demonstrate that combining infrastructure with livelihood support can expand economic opportunities in some of Vietnam’s poorest communities. As Vietnam continues its efforts to eliminate poverty, reaching communities that have benefited less from national economic growth will be essential to making that progress more inclusive.
– Amber Bannon
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Small Nation, Big Dreams: Higher Education in Cape Verde
A Gap Between Islands and Minds
When Cape Verde gained independence from Portugal in 1975, the nation inherited a literacy rate of roughly 40%. Since then, the country has made substantial progress in expanding access to education and improving literacy. By 2021, illiteracy among those aged 15 and above had fallen from 61.3% in 1975 to 7%, while youth illiteracy stood at just 1.3%, giving Cape Verde the highest literacy rate in West Africa. While that is an achievement worth noting, that rise is largely a pre-college achievement, driven by gains in primary and secondary schooling rather than in higher education. There exists an entirely different problem when it comes to pursuing a college degree in Cape Verde.
As of the 2019-2020 school year, the higher education enrollment rate stood at just 23.5%, suggesting that significant barriers continue to prevent many young people from enrolling in higher education. A likely problem is that, because Cape Verde’s geographical landscape, like that of Indonesia or Fiji, is an archipelago, the equal distribution of services, including higher education, becomes relatively more difficult. Out of the nine inhabited islands of Cape Verde’s total of 10, only two islands, Santiago and São Vicente, have concentrated institutions for higher education such as the University of Cape Verde (Uni-CV) and Jean Piaget University of Cape Verde (UniPiaget). This condition forces secondary school graduates to relocate to the two islands if they want to enroll, a luxury not accessible to everyone. Therefore, considering the tuition on top of the geographical issue, many Cape Verdean youths face discouragement in pursuing higher education.
Aside from the geographical gap, economic inequality can make these barriers even harder to overcome. World Bank data show that students from the poorest fifth of Cape Verde’s population accounted for only 9% of higher-education enrollment, compared with 31% among students from the richest fifth. Therefore, while geographical challenges remain a pervasive issue, economic inequality is still an even greater hurdle to accessing higher education. These “gaps” generate enough reason for secondary school graduates to immediately find a job instead of pursuing higher education, which in itself can cause stagnation in employment qualifications and create disadvantages in the global job market.
On Closing the Gap
Thankfully, the government noticed this disparity and translated it into action. In recent years, Cape Verde’s Ministry of Education has expanded its approach to higher education by strengthening scholarship opportunities both within the country and abroad, with the 2026 state budget prioritizing students from low-income families and underserved regions specifically. This builds on the 2017–2021 Education Sector Plan, which sought to improve access, quality, and efficiency across the education system. The government has also moved to address the islands’ concentration problem directly: current budget priorities name Santo Antão, Fogo and Sal as target islands for expanding higher-education access beyond Santiago and São Vicente, alongside new student residences, free inter-island transport for students, and increased funding for the country’s national scholarship foundation. These measures are underway rather than fully realized, and they do not yet eliminate the country’s broader geographic disparity in access.
Looking Ahead
It is worth revisiting the fact that the problem with higher education in Cape Verde is one of concentration, where Santiago and São Vicente host all of the country’s main campuses. The issue is not the number of institutions. The issue requires Cape Verde to direct its money and attention toward the students who have less access to higher education. The scholarship pipelines to Portugal, for example, show a government willing to send its youth wherever opportunity exists rather than waiting for opportunity to arrive at home. If that same resolve extends to closing the distance between islands, Cape Verde’s next generation of graduates could prove as formidable as its national football team.
– Javier Maverick Tristan
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Getting Dinner on the Table: Hunger in Yemen
Houthi Influence in Yemen
An Iran-backed armed movement known as the Houthis utilizes military force, coercion and propaganda to win support and gain governmental control. They seized Yemen’s capital city of Sanaa with Iranian support, and today, Yemen’s national government remains in contention with Houthi-controlled regions of the country.
Beyond lingering political tension, a severe humanitarian crisis has unfolded for ordinary Yemenis. Nearly three-quarters of Yemen’s population lives below the poverty line. Houthi militia are positioned near Yemen’s Red Sea Bab el-Mandeb Strait, causing blockages, trade and import delays, maritime attacks and embargoes that mirror the Strait of Hormuz situation in Iran. Separately, flooding and changing weather patterns have endangered home-grown crops and exacerbated waterborne illnesses. These economic pressures have led more than 60% of Yemeni families to report insufficient food consumption.
NGO Efforts
While economic reform efforts progress slowly, a few notable nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) lead hunger relief on the ground. UMMA Foundation, an American-based nonprofit aiding 23 countries, plays the long game by distributing food baskets packed with nutritional basics. With staples including lentils, rice, oil and seasoning, these baskets can sustain a family for one month, providing continued nourishment during a precarious time, according to the UMMA Foundation. Save the Children, which has worked in Yemen since 1963, operates similar food basket distributions and also supports 200 health clinics, providing life-saving care to 5 million children across the country.
Funding Challenges
Yet hunger in Yemen often persists due to funding gaps. While several organizations have launched coordinated response plans to scale relief efforts, the 2026 United Nations (U.N.) Yemen Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan reveals a tough reality. The plan seeks $2.16 billion to reach 12 million people across Yemen. According to United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), as of May 2026, only about 13% of that funding had been committed by donor governments — one of the lowest funding levels the response has seen in more than a decade — posing a continued hindrance to food, hygiene, water, medical and basic goods for those 12 million people.
Although hunger in Yemen may no longer dominate major media stories, the country’s struggle remains one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises. Whether millions of families receive the attention needed will depend on sustained international funding toward organizations already working around the clock. The work already underway shows that food baskets, nutritional support and sustained aid investment can put dinner back on the table when families need it the most.
– Natasha Agarwal
Photo: Flickr
Fighting the Spread of HIV/AIDS in Antigua and Barbuda
Addressing HIV/AIDS in Antigua and Barbuda
The government continues to invest in preventative and combative measures to ensure HIV prevalence remains low. One way that the government is doing this is through the AIDS Secretariat, which provides numerous services such as, “advocacy, counselling, development of materials, educational and training sessions, free male and female condoms, free and confidential HIV testing, information to the public, [and] research assistance,” as listed on its website.
These services are the foundation of Antigua and Barbuda’s efforts at controlling the spread of HIV, focusing on awareness and education on how to prevent catching the disease, as well as what actions to take. The AIDS Secretariat’s mission is to develop and then implement research on managing HIV, allowing the increase in cases to remain low over the past few decades. The efficiency of this system is reliant on the engagement of the community, as well as the resources that are now available, such as free testing and condoms.
Economic Concerns
Regardless of there only being a slight increase in the estimated prevalence, Antigua and Barbuda’s Social Systems Board is concerned with the consequences of reduced life expectancy, productivity and education. Continued importance is placed on prevention and treatment, especially on the young adult population, aged 15 to 24. This group is at a higher risk for obtaining HIV as they are in their prime years of productivity and labor, according to the Social System Board’s website.
Contracting an illness which affects the immune system generates a risk of becoming more susceptible for additional illnesses, weakening the body. Antigua and Barbuda’s Social Security Board has concerns with a negative economic impact as “persons affected may suffer repeated and prolonged illnesses, imposing great costs on households and national health systems.”
This threatens social systems financially as they are funded by the labor force or the investments that it brings. Workers may require prolonged absences from work based on their compromised health status, adding pressure to insurance and benefits provided by employers.
Reductions in workplace participation and an increase in health care costs weakens the financial relationship between the economy and Social Systems.
A report from the World Health Organization (WHO) from 2018 indicates lacking secondary and tertiary health services, with only a “186-bed facility in Antigua” and “one clinic and hospital in Barbuda.” This highlights challenges the country may have when meeting broader health care needs.
New and Incoming Strategies
The improvement to these clinics and hospitals is claimed to be ongoing in the same report, visible in the new steps that the Global AIDS Strategy 2026-2031 implemented. This is a community-and-people focused approach according to UNAIDS, shifting emphasis away from responding post-infection, and focusing on the social and structural changes needed to reduce contraction risk. The goal in this strategy is sustainability, rather than fighting an uphill battle, the aim is to find a long-term solution.
While the provision of services is incredibly helpful for countries struggling with the spread of HIV/AIDS, the new strategy outlines that the primary focus will be greater access to services by introducing resources for self-care and community-led models. The strategy consists of consultations with community members who are both at risk or have already contracted HIV.
The initiative aims to take their experiences and knowledge in order to create the plan that will be impacting these communities for the next five years. The information of the consultations will allow UNAIDS to separate their priorities into result areas or opportunities for progress. In doing this, countries will have the ability to sustain treatment on their own instead of relying on the donor-and-partner system.
If this initiative meets the 2030 HIV targets, it could avert 3.3 million new HIV infections globally, according to research by UNAIDS.
Looking Ahead
Reducing HIV/AIDS infection rates in Antigua and Barbuda will lead to strengthened communities by improving public health, and protecting employment and Social Systems. Community-led care could be a promising strategy to maintain Antigua and Barbuda’s low risk status while improving the lives of those living with HIV/AIDS.
– Angelica Ciaravino
Photo: Flickr
Tackling Chagas Disease in Argentina
If not treated early, health consequences can be dire, with about 30% of chronic infection cases suffering from cardiac damage. With an estimated 1.5 to 2 million people infected in Argentina, government programs and the initiatives of international organizations like Mundo Sano and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) have made sustained efforts to tackle Chagas disease in Argentina.
Government Response: Vector Control and Legislation
The Argentine government has waged a long war against Chagas. Beginning in 1961, the National Chagas Control Program has striven to contain the disease through vector control, using insecticides to eradicate the insect vector that transmits the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi to humans. Subsequent legislation in 1980 bolstered the program by decreeing its implementation in independent jurisdictions.
The program has made significant strides in fighting Chagas disease in Argentina. In one 14-year regional intervention around Añatuya, Santiago del Estero, close to 400 households had their structures improved since 2005, and intra-domestic and peri-domestic infection rates dropped drastically, from about 18% to just 0.2% and from about 20% to 3%, respectively. Both the National Chagas Control Program and laws passed in 2006 and 2007, mandating testing of pregnant women and newborns to prevent mother-to-child transmission, contributed to the elimination of vector transmission in nine provinces between 2001 and 2018.
However, lack of enforcement of these policies has caused the number of cases to remain high. In response, regulations put forth in 2022 made tackling Chagas disease in Argentina a national priority, facilitating monitoring, control and treatment of Chagas in all regions.
Mundo Sano’s Multifaceted Approach
Mundo Sano, a family foundation combating neglected health conditions, has been tackling Chagas disease in Argentina through various measures. The foundation strengthens houses and surrounding structures by repairing cracks and whitewashing to prevent insect entry, as well as creates hygienic cooking environments. Additionally, the establishment of doctor’s offices has made diagnosis and treatment more accessible. These measures have been implemented in numerous regions, such as Añatuya and Pampa del Indio, Chaco, equipping them with the resources and knowledge to combat Chagas.
Since the effectiveness of treatment decreases the longer a person has been infected, with PAHO estimating in 2021 that 70% of people with Chagas are unaware of being infected, the provision of medical assistance can be life-changing. Although symptoms of the initial acute phase of Chagas are relatively mild, including headache, fever and muscle pain, symptoms of the chronic phase are much more severe, including damage to the heart, nervous system and digestive system. Mundo Sano improves the health of Argentines through both preventive and remedial measures, ensuring a quicker recovery for those infected.
International Collaboration
As people infected with Chagas are at risk of spreading it across the continent, and even to the rest of the world, international collaboration is crucial to protect the lives of those most vulnerable to the disease. Argentina is part of the Southern Cone Initiative to Control/Eliminate Chagas Disease, partnering with PAHO and other Southern Cone countries like Chile and Uruguay.
PAHO’s Elimination Initiative
PAHO’s commitment to eliminate Chagas, along with more than 30 other diseases, in the Region of the Americas by 2030, has been an encouraging development for Argentina. Each year, PAHO/World Health Organization (WHO) provides 3,000 to 4,000 Nifurtimox treatments to countries affected by Chagas. These countries can also acquire Benznidazole through the PAHO/WHO Strategic Fund. Both medicines have a nearly 100% cure rate if administered at the start of the acute phase.
A Clear Strategy for the Future
Both the Argentine government and international organizations have set out a clear path for the elimination of Chagas. The identification of the root causes of the disease—decrepit structures, mother-to-child transmission and missed diagnoses—has led to solutions that address them comprehensively. These tremendous efforts to tackle Chagas disease in Argentina and the rest of the Americas offer hope for a decrease in the number of infections, helping those who are most impoverished.
– Katy Wong
Photo: Flickr
Victory Without Vaccine : Malaria in PNG
Over the past 25 years, PNG has reduced its national malaria death rate by 92%, from 13 to 1 death per 100,000 people, according to figures the country’s Electronic National Health Information System recorded. This is part of the country’s effort to embrace digital health, pairing electronic information systems and devices to more efficiently track malaria cases. PNG has achieved this malaria reduction despite not having a routine malaria vaccine.
Testing and Treatment
Papua New Guinea introduced Rapid Diagnostic Testing (RDT) in 2012, after the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended it. RDTs, such as lateral flow immunoassays, provide quick (around 15 to 30 minutes), affordable and easily accessible diagnoses of disease. Research conducted in the United Kingdom (U.K.) found RDT sensitivity to be 93.6% when detecting malaria infection due to any Plasmodium species, microscopic infectious parasites that cause malaria.
The use of RDTs worldwide has steadily increased, with national malaria programs distributing 345 million in 2022. In Morobe Province, provincial health teams distributed RDTs, medicines and insecticide-treated nets to 60 health facilities across five districts in 2025, with home management of malaria available at 12 of those facilities.
Artemisinin Combination Therapies (ACT) work by combining a derivative of artemisinin, a medicine that has treated malaria for more than 20 years, with a partner drug. Between 2010 and 2023, manufacturers delivered an estimated 3 billion prequalified ACT treatment courses globally to the public sectors of malaria-endemic countries, out of 4.5 billion total courses manufactured. WHO data has shown ACT to provide an overall efficacy rate of more than 95%.
Government Focus
PNG’s National Malaria Strategic Plan between 2021 and 2025 focused on improving diagnosis and treatment, as well as increasing community engagement. PNG’s home-based management of malaria program trained Community Malaria Volunteers (CMVs), which enabled testing and treatment within remote villages. Evaluations in remote provinces of PNG, such as Sandaun, revealed that around nine in 10 of the population now seek help from CMVs at the first sign of fever.
The Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance, consisting of 22 governments, formed in 2013 with the aim of eliminating malaria in the region by 2030. In 2025, the governments of Indonesia and PNG signed a “major milestone” Joint Action Plan, spanning the course of five years (2025 to 2030). With Indonesia achieving malaria-free status in nearly 85% of its population, the nations will share resources, data, and communications regarding the disease. Practically, this will include introducing targeted vector control approaches and standardized laboratory networks to enhance public health services and surveillance.
Humanitarian Aid
A host of international organizations have also assisted PNG in their ongoing fight against malaria.
Work to be Done
Malaria mortality remains a formidable prospect, with PNG continuing to carry a disproportionate burden in the region. The expansion of malaria transmission due to increased temperature changes, as well as increasing evidence of partial artemisinin resistance in malaria treatment, presents PNG with a substantial obstacle.
Further government commitment of around $3.8 million toward malaria control, as well as continued funding from organizations such as the Global Fund, can prevent these obstacles from slowing PNG’s mission against malaria. PNG is learning lessons from previous failures, and with these lessons comes hope — regionwide hope for a future that will see the end of this disease.
– William Snow
Photo: Flickr
Sustained International Efforts Support Venezuela’s Recovery
A Global Response
Alongside the destruction emerges another story: an international response that has continued to adapt as Venezuela’s recovery needs have changed.
In the first days after the earthquakes, search-and-rescue teams arrived from across the globe. Spain deployed members of its Military Emergency Unit; Brazil sent firefighters and a field hospital; Switzerland provided specialists and equipment; Mexico sent technical rescue personnel alongside its volunteer Topos teams; and Turkey deployed disaster-response specialists, medical personnel, search dogs and vehicles. Particularly notable was Syria’s 15 specialist strong search-and-rescue mission, considered the first international humanitarian operation they have ever conducted, and described by Syria’s SANA news agency as a “historic milestone.” Other countries across Latin America also contributed, while international organizations mobilized.
A Changing Mission: From Rescue to Recovery
Significantly for Venezuela’s recovery, international support did not disappear when the immediate search ended. As chances of finding survivors diminished, doctors, humanitarian workers, logistics specialists and development organizations increasingly took on longer-term roles. International donations also continued, with 107 registered by August 3rd.
The United Nations and its partners have been coordinating assistance across health, shelter, food, water, sanitation and hygiene, logistics and protection. According to the latest OCHA situation report, nearly 212,000 people had accessed essential services and humanitarian assistance by August 6th.
Hospitals Without Walls
Healthcare is one of the clearest examples of how the international response is evolving. Temporary medical facilities have been established in affected areas, and international partners have provided doctors, medicines, laboratory equipment and other essential supplies.
Brazil has continued operating a field hospital in La Guaira, while Colombia shifted its contribution from search-and-rescue towards medical assistance. Others, including the Dominican Republic, Qatar and international humanitarian organizations, have also supported temporary medical capacity.
Yet, humanitarian concerns extend beyond damaged infrastructure and interruptions to healthcare and essential services create additional vulnerabilities. Women, girls and adolescents can face increased risks of violence and exploitation after disasters. The international response therefore needs to focus also on protecting those most affected, and rebuilding communities and lives.
One striking example of long-term assistance has come from Israel; a reminder that international disaster assistance can move beyond diplomatic complexities. Despite the absence of diplomatic relations between the two countries for many years, an Israeli delegation has become involved in developing a national plan for rebuilding affected areas. The effort includes the demolition of dangerous structures, clearing of debris and rehabilitation of earthquake-hit areas. Within a few days of arriving, consulting senior government officials and inspecting disaster zones, the Israeli team formed a comprehensive reconstruction plan to map the damage, clear debris and unsafe structures and restore critical infrastructure.
This continued phase of disaster response is critical to Venezuela’s recovery. Recovery requires sustained funding, coordination between international and national actors, restoration of infrastructure and an understanding of what communities will need after the immediate emergency has faded.
A Long Road Still Lies Ahead
The road ahead for Venezuela’s recovery will not be short. The UN Development Programme estimated direct physical damage at approximately $6.7 billion USD, equivalent to about 6% of Venezuela’s GDP. The estimate does not represent the full economic disruption or eventual reconstruction cost. The UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction has separately estimated damage to homes and infrastructure at around $37 billion USD. UNICEF has predicted $52 million USD is required for its earthquake response alone. Such figures underline the scale of the need, and the importance of sustained international funding and support.
– Cecilia Catmur
Photo: Wikimedia Commons